It looks like Luke Green will follow in the footsteps of Sidney Crosby, James Sheppard, Alex Grant and Nathan MacKinnon.

Green is a highly skilled defenceman from Bedford who is expected to be taken first overall in Saturday’s QMJHL draft in Sherbrooke, Que. The Saint John Sea Dogs hold that pick and it’s believed they have made up their mind to use it on the Newbridge Academy Gladiators prospect. Assuming they follow through on that plan, Green will join that elite foursome of Nova Scotians who also went No. 1.

“All I can say right now is we have three guys we’re focused on but we like one of them better than the other two,” said Saint John general manager Darrell Young.

“We’re not going to be publicizing names at this point because I don’t think that’s something that helps you. And a lot of different things can happen by the time you actually make your pick so you always want to keep your options open. But if everything stays the way it is right now, we feel good about what we want to do.”

Among the last-minute variables that could come into play for the Sea Dogs is the possibility another team blows them away with an offer to trade down in the draft order. Young isn’t one to turn down a great deal but he also said there is only so far he is prepared to go before the risk outweighs the reward.

“We know who we want at No. 1 so it’s a question of whether that player will still be there if we move down,” Young said.

“If you move down, it’s a calculated risk where the odds are in your favour to the point where you can be sure it’s going to play out the way you need it to. I don’t think we’d consider that kind of trade if we can’t get the guy we want.”

The other two prospects believed to be on the Sea Dogs’ short list are forward Pascal Laberge and defenceman Samuel Girard from Quebec, who are ranked first and second, respectively, by the QMJHL Central Scouting Service. Green is rated fifth. His teammate, goalie Evan Fitzpatrick, is ranked fourth and is the top-rated Nova Scotian in the draft.

“We’re very open to listening and you never say never in these situations,” Young said.

“There are teams coming knocking for the first pick but it would have to be a big offer to move down one, two or three spots. The first pick has some marketability for your own hockey club, in terms of telling your fans you’re rebuilding and this is a big part of it. It’s something that gets your fans excited so you want to be really careful before you make a move like that.”

So all things being equal, it’s clear the priority for the Sea Dogs is to make sure they get Green. Sources around the league say there aren’t any other teams out there with an overwhelming urge to pay a huge premium to move up anyway. So assuming the draft order stays the way it is and Saint John calls Green’s name, he will become the first Nova Scotian since MacKinnon in 2011 and the fifth since 2003 to go No. 1.

“Obviously those guys are all amazing players so to be mentioned with them is pretty cool,” Green said. “But just going first would be amazing. I hadn’t really thought about any of that much until just a little while ago but that would be pretty special if it happened.”

One other minor consideration might also be the status of Green’s twin brother Matt. He’s a forward who also played for the Gladiators last year and, in a perfect world, he too would be picked by the Sea Dogs. But he is rated as a potential third-rounder (52nd overall) and Saint John doesn’t own a pick in that round. The Sea Dogs have a late first-rounder and a high second-rounder but don’t select again until the second pick of the fourth round (59th overall).

But as close as he is with his brother and as much as the Sea Dogs will surely do everything they reasonably can to select Matt as well, Luke understands there is only so much that can be controlled at an event like a draft.

“Me and my brother have always played together and we’re really close,” Luke said. “It would be pretty cool if we ended up on the same team but all we can do is hope for the best.”

Steve Crowell coached both players last year and he said any team would be lucky to have them.

“Anyone who’s seen Luke play knows he’s a special talent. In all my years coaching at this level, I haven’t seen a defenceman in this league that can skate like him. But Matt’s a very good player too. He’s got skill and he plays hard. He’ll be a good junior player.”